It is interesting that Husky would put a Honda on one of their machines. As far as the motor goes, there isn't a better one out there than a Honda. As far as what's around the motor, I'm not familiar enough with Husky products to say. They made a heck of a chainsaw back in the day.

For rough and rocky terrain, you might want to think about one of those "string" type big wheeled mowers that use a rope instead of a blade, that would be easier on both the machine and user when it came up against one of those pesky rocks.

What failed on the other mowers, the engine or something else? I just bought a Husky 22" wheeled string trimmer with a B&S motor. It is identical to a Craftsman if you are colorblind, but $100 less (Lowes). Unfortunately they reduced the size of the wheels from 16" to 14" which makes them about twice as hard to push as the older models, but they are still easy to push.

They work good in rough areas, but for a finished lawn look, you need a regular mower. Honda is a very good motor, but in rough areas, you do need the big wheel models.

A lot will depend on local parts and service.
I have had a John Deere 430 with 60" cut for close to 20 years. And I can gurantee we mowed a lot more than you and have given it a lot rougher treatment. The deck is almost shot now but it still runs well. If I could find a good replacement mower deck i wouldn't replace it.
If you go with Deere get it from a JD dealer not the models sold at the big box stores.

It sounds like you must have hit a rock or something. With a push mower, the blade is usually attached directly to the crankshaft of the engine. If you hit hard things often enough, you will break the motor. I don't know if Honda would be any better than B&S in this case.

I don't know how much you are mowing, but for a small area, then a high wheeled string trimmer might be your best bet. If you have a larger area, you might want to invest in a DR mower. They are not cheap, but they are well built and the blade is belt driven which takes out the shock of hitting things.

Almost all riding mowers have belt driven blades as well. ZTR mowers are nice but if you have inclines to mow, a more conventional rider would be better, but even they are limited in the angle of an incline they can mow across. Weedeater makes a small riding mower for small lawns.

For DR mowers, google that term. They see only via mail order and web.

It sounds like you must have hit a rock or something. With a push mower, the blade is usually attached directly to the crankshaft of the engine. If you hit hard things often enough, you will break the motor. I don't know if Honda would be any better than B&S in this case.

I don't know how much you are mowing, but for a small area, then a high wheeled string trimmer might be your best bet. If you have a larger area, you might want to invest in a DR mower. They are not cheap, but they are well built and the blade is belt driven which takes out the shock of hitting things.

Almost all riding mowers have belt driven blades as well. ZTR mowers are nice but if you have inclines to mow, a more conventional rider would be better, but even they are limited in the angle of an incline they can mow across. Weedeater makes a small riding mower for small lawns.

For DR mowers, google that term. They see only via mail order and web.

Keith,

I suspect the same thing. It got to be a rock.
I told him to clear the surface of the larger rocks, collect them and use them for landscape (good weekend project). And I told him to raise the wheels for more clearance.
I want him to get a Honda because he also complains about not being able to start those B&S.
A riding mower is: 1. not needed (less than an acre property). 2. he has no place to store it. 3. I will hear too much about not being able to start it... A push Swisher trimmer is also not for him.

I suspect the same thing. It got to be a rock.
I told him to clear the surface of the larger rocks, collect them and use them for landscape (good weekend project). And I told him to raise the wheels for more clearance.
I want him to get a Honda because he also complains about not being able to start those B&S.
A riding mower is: 1. not needed (less than an acre property). 2. he has no place to store it. 3. I will hear too much about not being able to start it... A push Swisher trimmer is also not for him.

I'm in the west coast, I can't help him on a daily basis.

You can't save people from themselves, so if he isn't willing to use the right equipment for the job, then there is no amount of assistance that you can give that will change the outcome. From the sounds of the situation, the guy needs either needs a weed eater or a string type, big wheeled, self propelled, weed mower. Regardless of brand, motor, or anything else, he's got to take the environmental/personal factors to heart and make the appropriate purchase. All you can do is try to direct him to make better decisions.

I will not try to sell your friend on a B&S powered mower if he has had a bad experience with them. Right now, you couldn't pay me enough to take another piece of equipment with a Tecumseh motor on it. Before I bought the Husky string trimmer, I had a Craftsman with a Tecumseh motor and it was nothing but trouble.

I have found that B&S are very easy to start once you learn the secret. The secret is not to pull the rope very hard. The motor seems to start very easily when turned over slowly. Pulling hard will not get them to start. Anyway, Honda is a good motor from what I've heard and I think that the competition from them had made B&S make better motors too.

Your friend might consider a Troy Built 22" self propelled mower with electric start. My daughter has one and she really likes it. Beats the heck out of pulling on a rope. I prefer front wheel drive in a mower although hers is rear wheel drive. Front wheel drive with high wheels on the back is easier to control on difficult terrain. But rocks will still kill the beast.